Going to work the next day was far too strange. Kara stood in the meeting, while Cat barked out demands at everyone else. Told them to find the girl who had shown up on the news, demanded even. She felt shaky, but proud that she had done this. She'd done something that actually made a difference. She stayed behind in the office, even though Cat had ordered her to get a lettuce wrap.

"How are we going to do this?" Kara asked.

Cat feigned ignorance.

"Do? I thought I gave you instructions."

"Cat."

"None of that here."

Kara sighed.

"Miss Grant," she smirked. "Or should I start saying ma'am?"

"Sarcasm. Wonderful. I am a terrible influence on you."

"Look, Cat," she said. "I have to figure out a suit, but when I do, maybe James can…"

"Kara," Cat said, firmly. Her eyes were soft, but her body went rigid. "You know my position."

"And I know you! I just heard you tell your reporters in no uncertain terms to get a picture of me."

"No," Cat said.

"No?"

"I told them to find a picture of her. Not you. You are not going to…sacrifice yourself on the alter of this media coverage."

"How can you be so certain of what I can or will do?"

"You're not ready. Despite what you think. Talk to your sister. Actually think about this."

"Stop accusing me of not thinking."

Cat closed her eyes.

"Please, please just be careful. Don't do anything stupid. I can protect you, but unfortunately even my powers have their limits."

"Did I ask? I don't need to be protected."

Cat sighed.

"This is what I get for dating a millennial. It's like falling for a puppy who hasn't been trained."

Kara narrowed her eyes.

"Fine. Maybe I'll go to the Daily Planet."

"Kara."

"No. You are the one who needs to…" she tried not to make her irritation obvious enough so people would look in and hear them talking. "I'm not going to stop. You know I'm not going to stop. I want to help. That includes you."

Cat rolled her eyes, but she seemed rattled. Kara was getting better at realizing how flappable Cat Grant really could be, given the right situation—in regards to her son, and when it came to her. She should be flattered that she fell into that category, but she hadn't asked for this.

"Please, trust me?" Kara said. "I can't do this without you."

"You implied that you already were."

"Cat," she said. "I need you. I need you in my corner."

Cat let out a slow breath.

"You have me."

Kara dreaded this. The work day was over. She had run out of time to avoid her phone, to avoid the fight she knew had to happen. Cat was insistent she go. And of course she was right. A part of her, a huge part, needed to see Alex. Even if it meant being yelled at. She needed to feel like Alex was actually there, alive. Breathing. To feel her to make sure she was real, that this had really happened. So when Alex turned up at her apartment, Kara simply rushed towards her sister and wrapped her in a bear hug. Alex flinched.

"Sorry, sorry…too hard?"

Alex didn't answer. She was taking in the state of Kara's apartment. Gaps where things used to be, a lack of something. An absence that couldn't be articulated easily.

"Wow, are you ever home lately? It smells stale."

"Uh…I'm out…a lot."

Kara went to make a coffee, but Alex waved her off. Which was just as well. She hadn't bought any in a while. It was probably as stale as the air.

"Are you…I mean, you're ok. Aren't you?" Kara asked.

"I'm fine Kara," Alex said. But she looked exhausted. She looked like she wished she hadn't survived the plane crash, which was a notion Kara tried to shake off. But there it was. There was a sense of resignation about Alex.

"I'm not sorry," Kara said. "I'm not sorry for saving you, ok?' But she sounded tired herself. All the bubbly excitement from the night before seemed to have curdled when faced with her sister's expression. Alex stared at her, swallowing once. Her voice was rough.

"Kara, how on earth can I protect you if you put yourself out in the open like this? How am I supposed to look after you?"

Kara crossed her arms, trying not to feel the anger rise in her again. But she couldn't stop it. She rolled her eyes.

"I am so sick of being protected," she marched to her couch and sat down, pulling a pillow into her lap. "If I hear that one more time. You all act like I'm some child. Like I don't know what I'm doing."

Alex faltered for a second, giving Kara a quizzical look.

"Kara."

"What?"

"Who else knows? Who did you tell?"

"None of your business," Kara said. "You are not the keeper of all my secrets."

"No? Tell that to Mom. Jesus, Kara, if you had any idea—"

"Cat," Kara said, feeling defiant, even as the nerves threatened to make her voice wobble. "That's who knows."

Alex's eyes seemed to boggle out of her head.

"Cat…Cat Grant? No, you did not just tell me that the so-called Queen of All Media—"

"Why wouldn't I tell her?"

"I can't….Jesus. How can I answer without starting that argument again?" Alex lowered herself onto the couch next to her sister, like her legs had just given out. "You've only been dating a few weeks."

"A month. And it's not like I planned to tell her like this, ok? I came home…"

"Home? Where's home?"

"Her place?"

"Jesus. Have you moved in? After a month. Kara."

"No!" Kara said, trying to sound convincing. "And that's not the point. You haven't even given her a chance."

"I don't want to talk about your bad taste in women right now," Alex sighed. "Although maybe I should."

"She said I should talk to you, but obviously she has no idea. You think she's mean? She could take lessons from you right now."

"Oh Kara, please."

"No," Kara took a breath. "You think I'm an idiot, fine. But I'm done pretending I can't help people. I'm doing this, whether you like it or not."

"You are so naïve," Alex said. "What are you going to do when your girlfriend splashes your face all over the papers?"

Kara closed her eyes.

"Look, she's giving me endless lectures about being careful. She doesn't want me running around, either."

"Wait, she doesn't?"

"No, ok?" Kara sighed.

"I find that hard to believe."

"You find it hard to believe that the woman I'm dating cares about me?"

"No, Kara, that's not it."

"Because that's what it sounds like." Kara wrapped her arms around herself. "I dropped a total bombshell on her last night, and she's…"

"Biding her time?"

"For Rao's sake, Alex," she said. "Even with all her annoying protectiveness, she's the only one who's actually supportive—"

"No, don't go saying that Cat freaking Grant is more on your side than I am. That isn't fair. I just…I'm so scared, Kara. You don't understand what you're doing. I really am trying to protect you."

"Well, stop."

"I just can't believe this," Alex said, putting her head in her hands. "Cat Grant. Knows. Just like that."

"It wasn't fair, not telling her."

"Look, I'm sorry but you can't truly believe that this thing between you…and now she knows your biggest secret." She gave Kara a look. "You're still her assistant, Kara."

"Yeah, I know. We're trying to figure something out."

"Right. Maybe she likes the power."

"Don't," Kara said. "You don't know her."

"I read her biography. The one with all the toxic shit about her ex-girlfriend. And the fist-fight in that hotel during Fashion Week."

"That one is unauthorized!"

"Doesn't make it not true."

"And it was a million years ago."

"The eighties weren't that long ago. And that brings up my other issue, as you know. Don't make me point out her age to you again."

"I think we need to…not talk," Kara said, feeling small. "You obviously think I'm just this stupid, childish…"

"Stop putting words into my mouth," Alex let out a breath. "I just worry. I always do. Every second of every day, and it's been that way since you came to live with us."

"Alex, please…"

Alex smiled, but she didn't look happy. Her eyes searched out Kara's. Kara felt a lump in her throat. It hurt to look at her.

"You think I like worrying? That I like saying these things to you?"

"I don't know."

"I don't support this," Alex said. "Ok? I can't support you putting yourself at risk like this. There, I've said it."

Kara couldn't bear to look at Alex anymore. She didn't want to cry, didn't know how to stop herself. She heard her sister let out a breath, before standing. Alex seemed to hesitate over something, but the moment passed. She didn't say anything else. Kara waited for the sound of her apartment door closing before she looked up.

a/n: This is the product of a tumblr prompt that got away from me. It won't be as long as Leap though. In case you're interested, I tend to update on my ao3 (same username) first. Because ff dot net is kind of...an awful user experience to update, comparatively. I also have been putting more supercat one-shots and such on ao3 than here. Nothing against you lovely people, just the updating format.